Reduce: Make the Earth Happy

PlanetOne of the great benefits to living an organized life is the positive impact you can have on our environment. When you’re organized, you can buy less stuff (reduce), you can think of creative ways to reinvent old items (reuse), and you can thoughtfully dispose of your discards (recycle). Follow these tips to tackle the first “R.” You’ll earn key benefits like saving money, time, and natural resources, as well as feeling less cluttered and stressed at home and work.

Think before you buy. Studies show that 80 percent of what we use comes from 20 percent of what we own. That means that 80 percent of the things in our homes are rarely or never used. Next time, before you buy, think about the time you’ll spend in cleaning, storing, and maintaining that item after you bring it home. If you must buy, establish a “new item in, old item out” system where some purging takes place before shopping, meaning less clutter in your home.

Reduce waste at the office. Try to generate less paper by printing less and saving more to electronic storage, such as your computer, CD or thumb drive. Send an e-mail rather than a printed memo or letter. Think before you hit “print” and you’ll have less paper to deal with on your desk.